Bible Dictionary
Mnason
Mnason was a Cyprian and an early Christian disciple with whom Paul and his companions lodged. He was associated with the believers in Jerusalem.
Definition
Mnason was a Cyprian and an early Christian disciple. He was associated with the believers who accompanied Paul and provided lodging for Paul’s company.
Biblical Usage
Mnason is mentioned during Paul’s final journey to Jerusalem. He was an early convert to Christianity and received or lodged Paul and his companions.
Historical Background
Mnason was a native of Cyprus and may have been connected with Barnabas. The supplied accounts differ on whether the lodging occurred in Jerusalem or on the journey from Caesarea, but both identify him as the host or intended host of Paul’s company.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Reminding, or remembrancer, a Christian of Jerusalem with whom Paul lodged (Acts 21:16). He was apparently a native of Cyprus, like Barnabas (11:19, 20), and was well known to the Christians of Caesarea (4:36). He was an “old disciple” (R.V., “early disciple”), i.e., he had become a Christian in the beginning of the formation of the Church in Jerusalem.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(remembering) is honorably mentioned in Scripture. (Acts 21:16) It is most likely that his residence at this time was not Caesarea, but Jerusalem. He was a Cyprian by birth, and may have been a friend of Barnabas. (Acts 4:36)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>na'-son, m'-na'-son (Mnason): All that we know of Mnason is found in Ac 21:16.</p><p>(1) He accompanied Paul and his party from Caesarea on Paul's last visit to Jerusalem;</p><p>(2) he was a Cyprian;</p><p>(3) "an early disciple," an early convert to Christianity, and</p><p>(4) the one with whom Paul's company was to lodge.</p><p>The "Western" text of this passage is very interesting. Blass, following Codex Bezae (D), the Syriac, reads, for "bringing," etc., "And they brought us to those with whom one should lodge, and when we had come into a certain village we stayed with Mnason a Cyprian, an early disciple, and having departed thence we came to Jerusalem and the brethren," etc. Meyer-Wendt, Page and Rendell render the accepted text, "bringing us to the house of Mnason," etc. However, giving the imperfect transitive of anebainomen, "we were going up" to Jerusalem (21:15), we might understand that the company lodged with Mnason on the 1st night of their journey to Jerusalem, and not at the city itself. "Ac 21:15, they set about the journey; 21:16, they lodged with Mnason on the introduction of the Cesarean disciples; 21:17, they came to Jerus" (Expositor's Greek Testament, in the place cited.).</p><p>S. F. Hunter</p>